People don’t get promoted for doing their job really well; they get promoted by demonstrating their potential to do more – Tara Jaye Frank
When considering internal promotions, often the person most skilled at their current job is selected for the new job. But is this really the best way to decide who would be the best fit in the new position? Being the best at their current job is sometimes the most important factor, it is not always the best evaluation method.
Here are some items to think about when making the decision of who is best candidate:
Avoid the Peter Principle – assess for skills and abilities
The Peter Principle states “that people in a hierarchy tend to rise to their level of incompetence”. That is a team member that is promoted based on their success in previous jobs and then they eventually reach a level at which they are no longer competent. What makes a team member successful in one position does not always translate to another. If a high-performing team member doesn’t have the aptitudes or skills required of them in to take on a leadership position, placing them into that position may set them up to fail.
What is the appeal for the new job? The title? The duties? Or neither?
This consideration speaks to the team member’s motivation. Some people are good at their current job and like what they are doing, and aren’t actually interested in taking on a new position with new responsibilities, but may like the allure that comes with a new title. When considering moving that team member to a new position, team members and employers should think about whether that new position will keep the team member engaged.
Leave no team member behind
Promotions are tricky and when you choose to advance a team member based on criteria beyond just current role performance, you need to be prepared to explain your reasoning. A high performer who has been passed up for a promotion may not agree with the decision, so it is important to be honest with the team member and work with them on the skills they need to develop. Find ways to nurture their potential while keeping them engaged.
It is particularly important to ensure you have the team member with the “right fit” coming into a leadership role. Sometimes the high performers will transfer seamlessly into the role, and sometimes they will not. Step back and really assess what makes your team members good at their jobs before promoting them.
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Dr. Robertson is a founding partner and lead appraiser of The Dental Broker Team. A graduate of the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto, he has also studied with the Canadian Chartered Business Valuation program. Beyond the scope of appraising and selling practices, he has worked hard to establish solid relationships with executives at the major Canadian banks with whom he has developed the appraisal formulas used by our firm. Because of this dialogue, his reputation, and his grounded research based approach to valuation, he has been called upon by the major Canadian banks to consult on trends, predictions, and perspectives in the Ontario and Canadian dental practice marketplace. He has authored articles on the topic of practice appraisal rationale in Ontario Dentist, The Journal of The Ontario Dental Association, and presented publicly with the Canadian Dental Association on the topic. As a dentist and brokerage partner, he contributed to the development of the Career Options Initiative with the Canadian Dental Association. Dr. Robertson is the author of The Science of Opinion, a research-based paper that establishes the only known evidence-based formula specific to dental practice appraisal value. He is the author of the book, From DEBTistry to Dentistry: A Buyer’s Guide to Successful Transitions.